ORN Faust

ORN Faust is one of the main antagonists in the Thunder Force series, appearing since Thunder Force IV. It is a robot that controls Vios, acting as a second-in-command to the ORN Empire's forces. ORN Faust acts as the right-hand of Khaos.

After Khaos's initial defeat, Faust gathers the remaining ORN forces into Vios and strenghtens it's military, launching various attacks against the Galactic Federation. The Galactic Federation sends the Fire LEO-04 "Rynex" to fight Vios forces, eventually destroying the Volbados battleship. Faust emerges from it to fight Rynex,and though Rynex was unable to damage it, Faust retreats after a fleet of Fire LEO-03 "Styx" comes to aid Rynex, upgrading it's weaponry. Rynex pursues the Vios forces, eventually facing ORN Faust in the Vios Fortress, where it takes advantage of the huge cannon mounted on the base's entrance to fight Rynex, however this largely backfires due to the Renee's small size and nimble handling. Rynex destroys the cannon, which explodes, dismantling Faust into pieces. After destroying the Vios central computer (which was a reconstructed Khaos), the pilots of Rynex finds Faust's plans to launch an attack at the distant planet Earth, so they leave a distress call on the ship and ejects, as Rynex is left drifting in space.

Much time later, in the year 2161 A.D, ORN Faust launches an attack against Earth. Since Earth had just recovered from the battle against the rogue supercomputer Guardian (see Thunder Force V), they were easily overwhelmed by the invaders. However, scientist pick readings inside the island of Babel, where the reamaining Vasteel technology (created from analyzing Rynex) was locked, apparently reacting to the presence of ORN Faust. As the scientists enter the island and analyze the remains of Rynex, they find the distress message left by it's pilot, so they decide to recreate and "Refine" the Vasteel technology, making the RVR-00 "Phoenix" to fight ORN's forces. The Phoenix fleet defeats the invaders and reach the capital of the Galactic Federation, joining forces with them to fight the ORN Empire. ORN Faust attacks them, but as it is apparently destroyed it's glowing core draws metal pieces into it, turning it into "Vasteel Nocht", ORN Empire's replicas of the Styx, Rynex and the RVR-01 "Gauntlet". It is ultimately defeated and destroyed, however.

In Thunder Force VI, ORN Faust's demise differs depending on which ship is used by the player. If it is defeated by the RVR-00. it's core will merge with the RVR, forming the Vasteel-ORN hybrid starfighter "Syrinx". Using either Rynex-R or Syrinx, ORN Faust's core is destroyed along with Vasteel Nocht.